Rafa stays silent as he spooks Fergie

THE invitation to twist the knife was there, but Rafa Benitez resisted temptation and instead bit his lip.

KEEPING CALM: Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is content just to enjoy the thrill of the chase

“You’ll have to ask Mr Ferguson,” came Liverpool boss Benitez’s curt reply when asked if Manchester United were wilting under the weight of expectation in a nerve-jangling title race.

If Sir Alex Ferguson anticipated another round of verbal jousting to ensue in the wake of Liverpool’s 5-0 dismantling of Aston Villa, then he should be almost as disappointed by his rival’s refusal to swallow the bait as United’s anaemic performance in their defeat by Fulham.

There is no need for Benitez to offload a barrage of acerbic asides when his team’s actions eloquently resonate loudest of all.

And it is the sound of silence from within Anfield, as well as Liverpool’s breath catching the back of United’s necks, that will be making Ferguson sit uncomfortably in his office at Carrington today.

What has been noticeable as hostilities between Liverpool and United have intensified is how Benitez has carefully beaten a retreat from any confrontation, offering Ferguson the opportunity to try to set the agenda at a point in the season when energies should be focused solely on matters on the pitch.

Imagine the sort of sermon Guus Hiddink would have imparted had Chelsea not faltered against Tottenham on Saturday, regaling everyone on how the pressure was getting to the champions, and the contrast with Benitez becomes clear.

Ferguson’s flawed allegation last Friday that Benitez had spent more money than him in the transfer market since 2004 could have seen the Spaniard erupt Vesuvius-like. Instead, his calm response was for people to “check the figures”.

Though the impression has stuck of “ranting Rafa” following his infamous outburst in January, when the battle lines with Ferguson were first drawn, the truth is that he delivered his “facts” in a measured, methodical way.

The surprise nature of that attack caught out Ferguson and it is the unpredictability of what Benitez may, or may not, do next that will be unnerving for the Old Trafford supremo.

Increasingly, the only thing of which Ferguson can be sure is that the momentum is with Liverpool as they endeavour to overturn United’s slender one-point lead which could become four if the champions win their game in hand.

There is little doubting that Liverpool’s improvement has coincided with the return to form of key players such as Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres, while United’s wobble has come with Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo seemingly unable to do right for doing wrong.

But it could be that both Benitez, who masterminded two come-from-behind title triumphs while at Valencia, and Liverpool are simply more comfortable with the thrill of the chase, rather than dominating from on high.

Jamie Carragher gave credence to that argument as he considered how the title race has been reignited with Liverpool belatedly coming to terms with what is required for them to emerge on top.

“It’s not normal for a lot of the results to go for you at the top of the league, so it put a bit more pressure on us,” said Carragher.

“There was more riding on the Villa game and the supporters were coming to the ground with greater expectations.

“We’ve probably found it difficult a few times this season to cope with that, so to run out 5-0 winners was a great result.

“I think back to the West Ham game this season. There was a big sense of expectancy then, a lot of teams had dropped points over the weekend and we were playing on the Monday night, but we didn’t capitalise on it.

“It was important we did capitalise this time. We’re well aware that the title is in Manchester United’s hands, but we’re just trying to put them under as much pressure as possible.

“There’s an improved mental strength throughout the team. Earlier on in the season, we hadn’t been in that position at the top before and we weren’t used to it.

“But we are maturing and getting used to the demands of fighting for a title.

“This time the results have gone for us again. It was a big game that we had to win and this time we were much calmer.”